Brave Little Soldier Boy
by Vanille Strawberry
Summary: It wasn't the sound of bombs in the night or the shadows creeping across the road that scared her. What scared Katara the most was that the rebels main target was Aang. AU modern War.


**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar. But for what it's worth neither do you.**

A/N: What's this? A fanfic! My 40th?! Well, this marks quite a huge collection of nonsense it seems :D Anyway, the main reason I wanted to write this was to honour all the brave soldiers who died in World War 1. And since today marks the 90th anniversary of its ending, I found it fitting. To make this clear to you this is a modern version of the epilogue of Avatar. Don't worry if it didn't make sense, it scarcely did to me!

Oh, and there is a line in there that I keep close to my heart. Just thought you should know :)

Enjoy this whole lot 'a nonsense. But deep down y'all know you love me.

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**-**Brave Little Soldier Boy**-**

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She had never liked walking home before. The shadows crawled the pavement, following and watching her. They twisted and stretched under musky street lamps littered around her neighbourhood. They scared her. Reminded her of her youth when the dark had been her main enemy. Now the sounds of bombs and screams terrified her more than anything else.

She was several hours late after curfew and the mounting fear of being discovered only rose as she spotted two guards standing by the park on the other side of the road. They hadn't noticed her yet, absorbed in whatever task, laughing loudly at a joke she could not quite hear. The rain was pounding too much around her to hear anything.

She ducked behind a bin and waited for the right moment to dash home. She could see her house from her hideaway. Blue and done up for the holidays with garlands and streamers and stars painted on the windows, hanging from the roof or her garden trees. She counted to three and sped off.

The guards did not move; even though they heard her pounding feet on the footpath, and she reached her house throwing the wooden gate open. She fumbled with her keys before turning them in the lock and hastily taking off her shoes before going inside.

She breathed a sigh of relief, all but sliding down the now closed front door, shaking from fear and adrenaline. She text her brother to tell him she was home safely and turned on the lights exposing an explosion of colours and pictures hanging everywhere on the walls. She passed one of her nephew and sister-in-law and rolled her eyes at a goofy snapshot of her husband and best friend earthbending.

He had not come home yet.

She drifted nervously into the kitchen, wringing her hands and glancing to the clock anxiously. It was not like him to make her worry.

She decided to make a cup of tea to calm her nerves and had just poured it into a mug before she heard the door clank open and shut again.

"KATARA!" she heard him yell, frightened. Abandoning the cup on the counter she ran into the hallway to find him drenched, shaking and almost on the verge of tears.

"Aang!"

They met for a crushing hug, both choking back sobs and kissing each other's face repeatedly. Aang was murmuring into her hair, like a mantra and even the sogginess of his clothes did not prevent her from burying closer into his embrace. Katara kissed him soundly and they parted.

"I thought… the news this evening. Ran through the rain… Toph and I were so sure… We heard one dead…" he sniffed his arms still tight around her. She smiled bitterly up at him, eyes dim and mournful.

"I'm okay," she kissed his cheek and wiped away the still pooling tears, "I'm okay."

After having both calmed down a little more, Aang let himself be led into the kitchen where she deposited her mug in front of him. Ordering him to drink it, Katara extracted a bottle of juice from the fridge and drank it in one gasping gulp.

"What happened?" he had his eyes set on her, not trusting himself to look away. His tea had been pushed to the side.

Katara sat across from him reaching for his trembling hands, intertwining their fingers together. He let out a slow sigh making her smile.

"St Yue's Healing Department in Mercy General Hospital was attacked by a rebel group of colonists." she glanced sideways just in time to see a flash of lightning illuminate her garden. "We got all the patients out just in time while some of us fought." she said. Aang looked her up and down, checking for any injuries and even with that knowing, Katara could not help but turn red.

"Did any of the staff get hurt?" Katara knew he meant the Chief of Medicine Yugoda whom had helped care for him during their troubled times.

"One. A student I was teaching earlier on that morning. He suffered a broken leg from tripping down the stairs. An other student died from extensive third-degree burns. "

Aang nodded gravely still maintaining eye contact--never breaking. He looked strangely uncomfortable under her gaze for what could have been the first time since they had known each other. Katara frowned and he noticed.

"I was asked to reintegrate into the Congress today."

Her eyes hardened and he saw the blue in them turn to ice.

"No."

Aang sighed heavily, "… Katara-"

"No, Aang. You can't! Not again! Zuko can deal with it on his own. I heard that an already large group of rebels had disbanded. They don't need you, they-"

"Need the Avatar back." he finished sympathetically. "You know as well as I do that my duties just won't evaporate like smoke."

"I wish they could," she muttered, "Next thing you know they'll want you to fight in their wars and solve World Hunger."

He retracted his hand from her grip to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear, "I promised you I wouldn't fight… And I think World Hunger is a little beyond my powers alone." he chuckled letting his hand cup her cheek, "I need to do this."

"I know you do." She whispered crestfallen, "I just can't help but imagine you fighting for your life again. I know that the world needs you, but I need you more."

"I know."

They remained silent. Aang still watching. Katara still gripping onto him. Only the thought of him leaving stopped her from blurting out the large news pressing against her chest. She herself had forgotten about it until this moment. Katara found it stupid to forget something so unfathomably huge. Something that could change their lives for the rest of their existence. Yet she remained silent. They both did.

"I love you." Aang said suddenly, startling her into attention. "In case I don't make it back I want you to know that I love you so, so much."

She felt the tears welling up and tried to repress them. She failed miserably. "It's only Congress, Aang. You're not going off to War." even as she said so the truth hung overbearingly over their heads. Their was a chance that they could re-enlist him back as a Military General. Should the need arise.

He grinned in a lop-sided sort of fashion, "You'd think I was with the way you're carrying on. So just to calm your nerves I want you to know that I love you very, very, very, _very _much."

Katara caught onto the little game and giggled despite her emotional state. "How much?"

He beamed, glad that she had regained some spirit and said, "More than the sea and sky put together."

"Thank you." she whispered finally.

He took a sip from his mug.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Katara put a hand on her prodding bump and let her small nephew loose in the back garden. He giggled and made a beeline for the sandbox, which she had bought for him recently, scooping up a handful and throwing it at her.

"Sueng!" She gasped chasing after him, as he giggled and laughed. They finally stopped short of breath in time to hear a large terrible noise rock through the still afternoon air. Katara looked to the sky to find a large mushroom like cloud spewing up into the heavens.

"Sueng get inside the house," she said flipping her phone open and quickly dialling her husband's number.

The five year old looked up with big round, curious eyes, "Aunty 'Tara?"

"NOW!"

He whimpered at her tone but obeyed and ran inside to find his mother. Sokka passed him on the way out and tugged his sister back inside. She wrestled against his grip to put the phone up to her ear. She sighed in relief when she heard it ringing.

"Come on! Katara do you want projectiles flying at you! Come on, woman!" her brother roared pulling her back away from the windows.

"Sokka, shut up!"

Somebody answered the phone, his or her voice hurried and urgent, "_Hello_?"

"Aang!" she cried as Sokka pulled her under the stairs where Suki and Sueng had also taken refuge, "Are you alright? What happened?!"

Their was a pause and she could hear many different voices yelling in the background. Aang cursed aloud and then said, "_Katara, sweetheart, I need to go._"

"No! Aang, oh, spirits, Aang-- what is going on?" she could feel the pulsing of fear drum against her ribcage and her throat and lungs constrict.

"_I love you so much Katara, Remember that. Keep safe_!"

"Aang!" she sobbed into the phone, "Aang!"

"_More than the sea and sky put together. I love you, my forever girl." _then the line went dead, and she let a terrible pained sob bubble up from her throat. Sokka wrapped his arms around her and Suki and Sueng joined in, all trembling and scared.

Three hours later, when their fears had subsided and Sokka had done a quick check through of the house to see if anything was damaged, they were all seated in the living room, curtains drawn to block out the now still night. However, it could not banish the sound of sirens and rescue helicopters outside. Katara sat with a protective hand over her small bump, breathing heavily.

Where was he?

Sokka checked his phone and muttered incoherently to Suki whom blinked and glanced at her son now asleep on her lap. He dialled and left the room.

"Are you okay?" Suki said once her husband had left.

Katara, eyes downcast, replied, "Apart from the fact that my husband could be dead, I'm just peachy."

The older woman frowned, "No need to get snappy with me, Katara. I only wanted to make sure you were okay."

Realising what she was doing, Katara swallowed and let out a choppy sigh. "I'm sorry, Suki. I am tired, and scared, and hormonal. I just want Aang back here with me."

There was a pause filled with Sueng's light snores. Sokka came back in looking immensely relieved but of what she couldn't tell. Katara jumped straight to conclusions and instantly a pang of hope shot through her chest.

"Sokka…?"

"Aang's fine." he said before she could ask, "A little bruised but he said he was fine and on his way home. The rebels tried to attack the Congress building but missed by a mile. They got the Renault factory next door."

"Lovely." piped in Suki with a raised eyebrow, "Nothing says beware evil like a bunch of destroyed cars."

"Better yet," said Sokka, sitting on the arm rest of his sisters chair, "They caught the gang and the ringleader. Some old guy named Yu who was still loyal to Ozai. They've been hauled off to prison and the colonist war has been declared officially over."

Only one thing registered in Katara's mind. Aang was okay. He was coming home for the first time in weeks. She couldn't wait to see that smile of his and kiss him. But most of all she could not wait to smack him silly for having left her for two months.

"You look tired sis, come on- I'll bring you to bed." Katara left her brother lead her up the stairs into her room where he gently lay her down and kissed her forehead. She instantly fell asleep her head buzzing with a million different thoughts and sounds.

----

She awoke groggily to the bed dipping as a weight settled on it. She reached out for him, pressing herself close to his warmth as he wrapped his arms around her. She laid her head on his chest and grabbed one of his hands to gently place it on her stomach.

"Katara?" Aang inhaled sharply in surprise, "You're…"

"Pregnant." she finished with a dazzling smile, "We are having a baby."

Instead of leaping out of the bed and dancing the conga as she had expected him to, he kissed her firmly and held her closer savouring the moment.

"I'm going to be a daddy," he murmured, "We're going to be parents."

"You're taking this more calmly than I expected." Katara whispered in his mouth as he rubbed her stomach lightly with his hand and kissed her.

"Probably…" he said pausing to capture her lips again, "Probably because the reality hasn't set in yet. Tomorrow I'll most likely be putting up billboards everywhere to say that my beautiful, wonderful, most amazing wife is expecting our child."

"And the conga?" Katara questioned with an amused grin.

"In the morning, love. Right now I want to rest with my wife and baby."

She honoured his wish and kissed him goodnight, wrapping her arms around his torso. Downstairs she could hear her brother singing a song General Iroh had taught him to his son. And they were the last words she heard as the fear of War melted and she drifted off to sleep.

Leaves from the vine,

Falling so slow,

Like fragile tiny shells,

Drifting in the foam

Little soldier boy,

Come marching home,

Brave soldier boy,

Come marching home...

…


End file.
